The Turf Zone Podcast

VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL: Richard “Dick” Schmidt, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus and Mike Goatley, Ph.D., Professor & Extension Turfgrass Specialist

In preparation for the 50th anniversary of Field Days at the Virginia Tech Turfgrass Research Center on August 28–29, 2023, we present a brief synopsis of the history of the VT Turfgrass program in two parts. Part one covers the founding of the VT Turfgrass program in the 1950s through the early 2000s.

The Early Days of VT Turfgrass Programs

Both Professor John Shoulders and Dr. Roy Blaser were forage specialists in the Department of Agronomy at Virginia Tech in the mid 1950’s who had foresight concerning the value of a turfgrass research and teaching program at Virginia Tech. Dr. Blaser obtained grants for graduate students supporting turfgrass research with the Department of Highways in Virginia and West Virginia, and Professor John Shoulders “boot-legged” extension information to the professional turf growers in Virginia. They were instrumental in building a nine-hole golf course at Virginia Tech with different varieties of bentgrass cultivars on greens and tees for students to observe. Yes, tees – that was deemed revolutionary at the time.

Professor Shoulders essentially ‘recruited’ Dick Schmidt to Virginia Tech while John was meeting with Dr. Burt Musser on a visit to Penn State. A grant was obtained from DuPont Corporation to sponsor a doctoral graduate student position which was offered to Richard Schmidt, who had recently obtained his master’s degree at Penn State. He fulfilled the faculty position that mainly comprised of leading the turfgrass physiology graduate studies and conducting research (it wasn’t a bad investment in personnel: Schmidt spent his entire academic career at Virginia Tech and was awarded Professor Emeritus status after forty years of service!) Within a year of Schmidt’s hiring at Virginia Tech, a Turfgrass Ecology course was developed, and John Shoulders became the first Virginia turfgrass extension specialist. A state Turfgrass Council was formed in 1960, and for the first time, there were coordinated university and industry efforts with support from leading turfgrass industry members and firms, including the United States Golf Association.

More on Early VT Turfgrass Team Members

Dr. Houston Couch, renowned over the years for his expertise in turfgrass pathology and as a popular and entertaining speaker on the turf industry circuit, arrived from Penn State. Couch replaced Dr. Al Williams and became one of the country’s first full-time pathologists hired to conduct turfgrass disease research, and in particular to update the professional golf course management industry on new fungicides arriving on the market. Houston made quite a name for himself both nationally and internationally with the publication of one of the industry’s standard textbooks in turfgrass pathology called “Diseases of Turfgrasses”. Houston’s list of achievements was long and extensive, including the Golf Course Superintendent’s Association of America’s Col. John Morley Award in 2002 and the United States Golf Association’s Green Section Award in 2003.

Weed scientist Dr. Bill Chappell initiated the evaluation of the first preemergent crabgrass herbicides in the late 1950s and in 1961, Wayne Bingham came to Virginia Tech where he worked for the next 35 years. Wayne’s program addressed weed control in fine turf, and made advancements in highway rights of way weed management and the first generation of plant growth regulators. He expanded the turfgrass weed control research program in all areas for the turfgrass industry. Bingham was succeeded by Dr. Shawn Askew who arrived in the early 2000s to continue the growth of both applied and basic research programs in turfgrass weed science that span fine turf management to highway rights of way turf.

A.J. Powell, Jr.

MISSISSIPPI TURFGRASS

Plans for the 2023 Deep South Turf Expo are percolating! Once again, our education committee has provided a thoughtful incentive to attend the Expo in the form of a great speaker line-up. Wednesday, October 18th’s keynote speakers include Becky Bowling, Ph.D. University of Tennessee, David McCall, Ph.D., Virginia Tech, and Travis Gannon, Ph.D., North Carolina State University.

Information about the 2023 education line-up that serves as the centerpiece of the Expo is available on the website DeepSouthTurfExpo.org

Dr. Becky Grubbs Bowling is an Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist with the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture (UTIA) specializing in Turfgrass Science and Management. She completed her B.S. and M.S. in Horticulture at Texas Tech University in 2010 and 2013 respectively before completing her Ph.D. in Crop and Soil Sciences at the University of Georgia in 2017. In her role, Bowling works in partnership with other faculty/scientists, professional organizations, county extension agents, and others to conduct applied research and provide resources and programmatic support to the Tennessee turfgrass industry and beyond. Dr. Bowling’s program focuses on environmental turfgrass science with an emphasis on optimizing resource-use efficiency to promote environmentally and economically sustainable management practices for the turfgrass industry.

Dr. Grubbs presentation, “How has the Resist Poa project improved Poa annua control and management?” will focus on key project findings and implications from the “Resist Poa” project. In 2018, a team of 16 university scientists spanning 15 institutions embarked on a $5.6 million project (‘ResistPoa’) to limit the impact of annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.) in athletic, golf, lawn, and sod farm turf. The team’s multifaceted approach, funded by USDA-NIFA Specialty Crops Research Initiative (SCRI), had several objectives, including characterizing the nationwide distribution of herbicide-resistant P. annua populations. Potential weaknesses in the weed’s biology and growth characteristics are identified in order develop non-chemical control strategies. The study also identifies socio-economic constraints that may affect control strategies and stewardship of herbicide technologies and developing as well as delivering best management practices (BMPs).

David McCall, Ph.D. is an assistant professor at Virginia Tech in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences. His primary responsibilities as Turfgrass Pathologist are applied research (50%) and Extension (45%), with a 5% appointment in teaching. Dr. McCall’s research program currently focuses on the following:

a) remote sensing with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones) to monitor disease epidemics and water inefficiencies across turfgrass systems,

b) field radiometry and thermal imagery for improving biological and environmental stress detection of turfgrass systems and specialty crops,

c) novel strategies to reduce pesticide inputs through targeted applications,

d) fungicide performance, efficacy, and ancillary benefits. Dr. McCall also has Extension responsibilities.

Dr. McCall says that his “applied research program is designed to aid my role in Extension, by providing practical disease management solutions to turfgrass professionals. I guest lecture for undergraduate and graduate courses in basic and advanced turfgrass management, plant pathology, and proper pesticide usage. Dr. McCall will speak on The Future of Drones and Precision Application Technology for Pest Management.

Travis Gannon, Ph.D., Professor, North Carolina State University, received his Ph.D. in Crop Science in 2011 from North Carolina State. He has worked at North Carolina State in several capacities since July 1999 and is currently a professor that institution. Dr.

Alabama Turf Times:

Members who attend the ATA Road Shows, the Deep South Turf Expo, Auburn Research Field Days, or any other event the Alabama Turfgrass Association is involved in, know John Nabors. He is a stalwart at these and other green industry meetings, enthusiastically advocating for and educating those that are a part of it.

John works as a member of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and is also the Executive Director of the Alabama Green Industry Training Center. John completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Horticulture at Auburn University in 1998. Following that, in 2022 he completed a Master’s in Adult Education at Auburn. His areas of expertise include horticulture, safety & business, and workforce training.

Enjoyment of the outdoors and exposure to mechanical equipment initially sparked John’s interest in the field of turfgrass. He says, “Being able to spend some time on the farm as a kid can lead to trouble! I quickly learned that climbing over into the combine hopper or on top of the grain bin would earn my cousins and me an afternoon on the couch watching a soap opera…talk about some punishment! Over the years, I spent time growing up in several rural communities of Alabama, and in looking back, I realize how much I enjoy the country way of life. Many people in my family had gardening expertise and success with growing vegetables and flowers. In high school, I became interested in the landscape side to have some money in my pocket!”

Many people, including family, friends, colleagues, and professors encouraged John along his career path, and he is grateful for this support. “I started out at Auburn University in Landscape Architecture, but once the professor asked for a rendering of myself as a class assignment, I knew I was in the wrong field! My artistic abilities plateaued at the stick-figure level! The good Lord led me right on over to a chair in Dr. Harry Ponder’s office in the Auburn Horticulture Department. If you know Dr. Ponder, you know the rest of the story! With that being said, I avoided Dr. Ponder an entire quarter close to graduation, because I knew he wanted me to interview with companies in Atlanta…except, I did not want to live in Atlanta! My avoidance did not work when he rounded a corner one day in the Funchess Hall stairwell and said, ‘Ahhhh, John! Where have you been? Go get ready for the interview, they are here today! You must meet with them!’”

Fortunately, another long-term mentor, horticulturist and educator with the Alabama Cooperative Extension Center, Dave Bradford, interviewed and hired John for a post-college job at Landscape Services in Birmingham, AL. Dave had by then retired from his extension career as district agent and was later hired to work as Landscape’s in-house county agent, plant doctor, and customer care official. Dave was a good source of guidance for John over the years, steering him towards an extension-based career and helping people in the industry.

The old leaders of Landscape Services taught John a lot. “Being the long-term establishment they are, you usually can find someone who has worked for them ‘back in the day’. Mr. Beaty Hanna, Bob Newton, and Tut Touchstone had an interesting way of working together and providing access to projects, events, and people that were unique to their time. Each of them provided plenty of advice when needed, but the way they allowed you to work, make mistakes on their dime, and grow as an individual, emphasized how they believed in helping people succeed with their projects.”

John has found a blessing in his current role, working for Alabama Extension. “I like being able to connect people in our industry with the information they need to succeed. It helps that I have experienced first-hand similar challenges and difficulties. I can relate to my clientele, understand their frustration,

North Carolina Turfgrass:

Founders of Freedom Franchises and Freedom Lawns (retired).

TCNC Members Since 2011

Why did you join TCNC?

Being a member of TCNC has helped to enhance my awareness of local issues, up to date regulatory developments that effect my business, and local turfgrass workshops that have been beneficial for myself and for my past employees.

What do you love most about TCNC?

The TCNC is a solid partner with the faculty of NC State University Turfgrass departments. Being a member of TCNC has helped me to keep up with the latest agronomic research in turfgrass management as well as plant and soil science.

How has your career benefited from being a member?

One of the first things I did upon joining TCNC was to take the North Carolina Certified Turfgrass Professional exam. (NCCTP) I believe this is a valuable accolade for all turfgrass managers as it illustrates a high degree of turfgrass knowledge, professionalism, and dedication to the turfgrass industry.

What is your favorite TCNC Event and why?

The regional turfgrass conferences and seminars provide valuable information for all turfgrass professionals and offer an opportunity to acquire continuing education units toward their licensing.

What’s one thing — either industry / work-related or not — you learned in the past month?

Although I am still doing a little consulting, I retired this past January after working in the Turfgrass industry/green care industry for over the 47 years. Soon after finishing school for plant and soil science and turfgrass management in the mid-seventies, I began my career as a turfgrass technician with a national company. I was eventually promoted to branch manager and then director of franchise training. Those were really infant years for professional lawncare, but working in the Columbus Ohio market which even back then was a mature lawn care market, I learned a great deal. In the early eighties I opened a successful lawncare business which grew tremendously over the following 10 years. After selling that business, I worked for a national company as a regional agronomist for a few years. I also had the opportunity and good fortune to have a gardening book published, teach horticulture at a local community college, and have a lawn and gardening radio show for three years while developing and growing my Freedom Lawns USA and Freedom Franchises business. What I have learned in recent months since retiring is that the lawncare industry is a wonderful industry and has been very good to me and to my family over the years and that in this industry- you never stop learning! My hope is that more young people will pursue a career in the turfgrass industry.

How do you define success in the Turf business?

Most folks measure success in terms of revenue. Of course, all business owners naturally work toward growing a business that is profitable. Thats why we make the commitment and sacrifices to be entrepreneurs. However, I found that my greatest feeling of success was in teaching and encouraging others such as my former employees and franchise owners to work hard, always do your very best, and above all, perform your work with the highest level of honesty and integrity. If you practice these steps, the money will certainly follow.

What’s one skill you’d like to develop or sharpen this year?

Transitioning from the many years of operating a business day to day, to enjoying a fulfilling retirement.

NEW ENGLAND BLADE: Rick Perruzzi, CSFM, CPRP, City of South Portland, ME Parks and Recreation

INTRODUCTION

The South Portland, ME city council enacted a synthetic pesticide ban (in 2016) and fertilizer ban (in 2021) on public and private properties. Since 2016, changing our management approach to comply with the regulations, as well as researching and integrating alternative products for both pest management and fertility, has been difficult. Management of crabgrass and grubs has been particularly challenging. The restriction to using only organic fertilizers is also a considerable challenge, particularly in the spring and fall, which are the times of year with the most field usage and greatest need for recovery from wear, but when organic fertilizers are typically less effective due to cool soil temperatures.

SITE CONDITIONS

30 acres of sports fields; 150 total acres. Sandy loam, high organic content has led to an increase in thatch.

PROBLEM

• All our athletic fields are exposed to harsh environmental conditions (e.g., wind, surface water, and mechanical migration of weed seed). The site has no natural barriers surrounding the athletic fields. By September 2019, after three years without the option to use a pre-emergent herbicide, crabgrass populations were high enough to severely impact the playing surface quality of our athletic fields.

• We also faced significant fertility challenges, particularly in the spring and summer of 2022, when the region experienced a cool spring followed by severe drought.

• When soil temperatures are below 50 – 60ºF, turfgrass growth is limited and soil microbes are not active enough to break down organic products and release nutrients that the turfgrass can utilize.

• Even with an in-ground irrigation system in place, the lack of rainfall in summer affected the amount of available soil moisture in the soil profile. Subsequently, microbial activity and the breakdown of organic products was limited, resulting in poor turfgrass growth and suboptimal field conditions going into the busy fall season.

GOALS

• To better manage crabgrass and grub populations.

• To improve turfgrass recovery during periods of high usage, especially in cool weather, when organic fertilizer products are less effective due to the reduced soil microbial activity.

STEPS TAKEN

• On one athletic field that had excessive crabgrass populations, verticutting and mechanical removal were performed in two directions to clip crabgrass plants and encourage the perennial turfgrasses to compete. Even though there was significant removal of clippings, we were still concerned that the weed seed bank would affect field quality the following year. In 2019, we applied for and obtained a waiver to treat the fields in the spring of 2020 with a pre-emergent herbicide.

• The COVID shutdown provided the opportunity to be strategically more aggressive with aeration, overseeding, and topdressing practices (overseeding rates were 2 – 4 lbs./1000 ft. depending on existing turf density; aeration was performed on each field 1 – 2 times, using a combination of hollow and solid tines).

• Fertility requirements are different every year, as they are dictated by weather conditions. The warm spring and fall in 2020 produced ideal conditions to utilize organic products. However, the cool and damp conditions in the spring of 2022, followed by hot and dry conditions in the summer, were not suited to organic fertilizer products. Ground temperatures were not at the optimal range in the spring and the lack of moisture in summer prevented the microorganisms from breaking down the organic products so the turf could uptake nutrients. We obtained a waiver to apply a synthetic fertilizer on two of the 15 irrigated sports fields in fall 2022. This application provided a quick release of nutrients that was...

PENNSYLVANIA TURFGRASS:

The turfgrass industry is facing increasing pressure to reduce its environmental impact and advance more sustainable maintenance practices that better utilize and/or optimize agronomic-related resources. Achieving Sustainable Turfgrass Management is a new turfgrass science book, edited by Dr. Mike Fidanza (Penn State – Berks Campus). This book summarizes the wealth of recent research that addresses these challenges:

• Reviews the impact of climate change on the increasing threat of biotic and abiotic stresses to the turfgrass industry, as well as the challenge of treating diseased turf in the face of fungicide resistance.

• Considers the development of alternative, more sustainable management practices that utilize and/or optimize fewer agricultural outputs, such as fertilizers, pesticides, and energy.

• Provides a selection of case studies that detail the establishment of good turfgrass management and maintenance in a variety of environments (golf courses, athletic fields, sports pitches, arid environments).

This textbook contains 20 chapters:

Part 1 — Physiology, breeding and cultivation

1. Advances in understanding turfgrass physiology.

2. Advances in breeding for improved cultivars of turfgrass.

3. Advances in soil management for successful establishment and maintenance of turfgrass.

4. Advances in phosphite utilization for turfgrass.

5. Advances in irrigation and water management of turfgrass.

6. Advances in maintenance practices of turfgrass.

7. Advances in turfgrass for athletic fields and sports pitches.

8. Advancements in turfgrass for ornamental lawns.

Part 2 — Biotic and abiotic stresses

9. Advances in turfgrass disease management.

10. Advances in turfgrass insect pest management.

11. Advances in turfgrass weed management.

12. Advances in plant growth regulation in turfgrass.

13. Advances in abiotic stress management in turfgrass.

14. Advances in managing organic matter in turfgrass ecosystems.

15. Advances in biostimulants in turfgrass.

Part 3 – Case Studies

16. Considerations with using unmanned aircraft systems in turfgrass.

17. Considerations with selecting turfgrass varieties and cultivars.

18. Considerations with turfgrasses and pollinators.

19. Considerations with water for turfgrass in arid environments.

20. Considerations with soil testing in turfgrass.

“The 3 E’s of Sustainability (Environment, Economics, Ethical-Social Impacts) in all their forms continue to underpin the values and goals of professional turf managers across the globe who strive to build and maintain healthy, long-term communities where parks, lawns, sports fields and golf course turfs are the dominant vegetation. As global populations grow, annual climate vagaries increase, and biotic and abiotic plant stresses become more uncertain it is now more important than ever to understand how factors like species selection, edaphic conditions and cultural management decisions influence the ecology and persistence of managed turf systems. In this comprehensive book, Dr. Mike Fidanza has compiled industry leading turf experts who provide relevant, fact-based insights across an array of key topics to help turf managers meet their modern management goals.” (Dr Cale Bigelow, Professor of Turf Science and Ecology, Purdue University, USA).

MTC TURF NEWS: Jay McCurdy

In part one “Origins of Turfgrass,” we delved into the history and roots of turfgrass. Here we explore turf’s march towards modernity by focusing on the game of golf.

The popularity of lawns, the ability to maintain turf, and turfgrass in general, are all interlinked with the game of golf. Golf courses comprise less than 3% of maintained U.S. turf, yet the turfgrass industry is heavily impacted by the technology and agronomics that make the game possible. Golf’s origins are unclear and debatable. The earliest mention of colf (dutch for club) was in 1261. In 1297 Utrecht (modern day Netherlands), there’s mention of the colf or kolf used to play a ball sport.

Golf was banned at various points throughout its history: in 1360 the Council of Brussels banned the game under penalty of 20 shillings (or confiscation of one’s overcoat); in 1457 King James II prohibited golf due to distraction from archery practice; in 1471 and 1491 it was banned in Scotland because it was said to be an “unprofitable sport”; it was banned again in 1490s by King James IV; and in 1592 it was prohibited on the Sabbath in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Modern golf’s 18-hole format originated in Scotland, and most consider that country’s landscape and culture to be formative to the role of turfgrass on modern golf courses. The oldest sanctioning golf club is disputed—either the Royal Burgess Golfing Society (1735) or the Honourable Company of Edinburgh (records dating to 1744; originally played at the Leigh Links near Edinburgh and now hosted by Muirfield). The “Articles and Laws in Playing at Golf,” the oldest surviving rules of the game, are dated 1744 and are preserved in the National Library of Scotland.

Scotland and the North Sea coast of Europe share similar landscapes and environments that have shaped the game of golf and turfgrass culture over the centuries. Their proximity to the sea moderates temperature and assures ample and frequent moisture for the growth of common forage grass species. Those cool-season species thrive in this environment and have been shaped for millions of years by foraging livestock. Furthermore, the area’s links-land landscape (Photo 1) has harsh reliefs and rocky crags that are inviting to wallowing livestock seeking shelter and grazing. The seaside terrain is characterized by rolling hills of sand or links (via the Scottish or Northumbrian language from Old English “hlinc” which means “rising ground or ridge”). Away from the coast, the terrain remains pock-marked with the familiar “Kame and Kettle” topography that is mimicked by golf course architects the world over. These environments were shaped by glaciation—having been covered several times by ice over the last 500,000 years. These glacial landscapes are as dramatic as the Scottish Highlands and as placid as the moraine landscapes further south. These conditions were conducive to the original game of golf—played by shepherds and yeoman farmers with their crooks while tending their livestock. In fact, the “bunkers” that have evolved into common penal features of most modern courses originated in these sandy landscapes.

The earliest golf course architects highlighted the natural beauty of the game’s home at new locations, and the game (and the grasses) spread. The game of golf had evolved from a yeoman’s sport to one for the wealthy who could afford custom equipment.

Allan Robertson (1815-1859) (Photo 2) is widely considered one of the earliest influential golf course architects and greens keepers. He was also the period’s renowned ball and club maker and oversaw course renovations and general supervision of the St. Andrews Links as well as the 10-hole course that eventually became Carnoustie.

His protégé Thomas Mitchell Morris (Old Tom Morris) assisted Robertson in his shop, and they played as a pair with great success.

ARKANSAS TURFGRASS: Jay McCurdy Ph.D., Associate Professor, Turfgrass Extension Specialist Department of Plant & Soil Sciences Mississippi State University

Lawns are not going away, but how we manage them is changing.

Recent, rapid urbanization has driven the development of urban green space in the United States and abroad. The world population has almost doubled since 1970, and more than 80% of U.S. citizens reside in urban areas. As a result, much traditionally rural, agricultural, and wild land has been converted to lawns, parks, sports surfaces, etc. for aesthetics, recreation, and ease of maintenance.

Simultaneously, cities and suburbs are filling with folks who are willing and able to change their habits to fit their belief systems—supporting wildlife conservation, reducing inputs like water and fertilizer, and decreasing fossil fuel use. Those trends will continue, so how can the turf industry meet the needs and demands of an increasingly ecologically and socially conscious society?

Turfgrass has a role to play

Lawns and other grasslands are important in built environments. They offer greater noise and heat abatement than pavement, hardscape, and synthetic landscaping. However, turf does not replicate the cooling and shading effects of tree canopy, nor does it fill the habitat void left after clearing and removing natural environments for communities.

Turf provides erosion control, nutrient infiltration, and a familiar, low-maintenance aesthetic. Historically, one of turf’s main benefits has been line-of-sight for protection and separation from other humans and the wild—think roadside visibility, fire abatement, pest control, and home defense. With time, those practicalities have developed into the quintessential “American lawn.” Urban citizens worldwide recognize grasslands maintained as turfgrass lawns or open green spaces, such as parks, for their recreational and social functions as well as their aesthetics.

Problems arise from reliance upon any one system. Turf often lacks species richness, and many modern management practices are ecologically insensitive. For instance, turfgrass’s role in carbon sequestration is often touted, but the positive effect of sequestration may be nullified by management practices such as the seed, sod, and transport to establish, mowing, pest management, irrigation, and fertilization. The literature suggests that even modestly maintained lawns may be net greenhouse gas emitters. Most importantly, lawn-age limits the peak sequestration—that is, once a lawn reaches a certain age (30 to 70 years old), the carbon released through decay equals that absorbed in growth (Gu et al., 2015; Tidåker et al., 2017). Regardless of the net balance, reducing fertilization and mowing frequency are essential to minimizing environmental harms (Law & Patton, 2017).

Repeated pesticide and fertilizer application, as well as mowing, favors monoculture rather than plant biodiversity, although biodiversity is generally a key indicator of healthy ecosystem function. The detriments of “industrial” monoculture lawns have been much-discussed, but few arguments have focused on suitable alternatives for the typical suburban homeowner. Our collaborations with others in the southeast (see RefugeLawn.com)

promise new plant materials and systems that incorporate forbs for pollinator habitat, but changing a societal norm like monoculture turfgrass is a slow process and will not be for everyone.

What does the future hold?

Lawns are not going away, but how we manage them is changing. New approaches to sustainable lawn and land care will incorporate the following principles:

1 ) Plant material selected for low inputs.

Preempting regulation requires good science, and there’s no better science than appropriate species and variety selection.

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS:

How long have you been working in the groundskeeping/turfgrass industry?

Probably around 16, I’m starting to lose track. Nine years in the MLS. I had five years at Dallas, and now I’m on my fourth year with Nashville Soccer Club. Before that I was in baseball, with the Texas Rangers for a year. I worked four years at Haymarket Park at the University of Nebraska, their baseball field. Then three or four years at Hastings Public Schools, taking care of their sports fields. That’s how I got my start.

How did you decide on a career in turfgrass management?

I started off my first time working through college for the Hastings Public Schools, taking care of athletic fields. My first round of college I got two associate degrees. One in Architectural Design, one in Construction Management. I ended up taking a three-year break where I was architectural coordinator for a company called HTR. Their primary design was hospital/healthcare. I did work on a project that pushed me back into college. It was TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, the College World Series new stadium, which I was the project architectural coordinator on.

Working on that project, seeing the field design and the build, sent me back to the University of Nebraska, where originally I was going to get my Bachelor’s degree in construction management. At that point I was just tired of being in my office. I was in a cubicle Monday through Friday besides site visits. When I left college and left that job at Hastings Schools, it was by far my favorite job I ever had, working outside, working with grass. At that time though, I didn’t know how to get into the profession. I had no idea there were turfgrass science degrees out there.

When I went back to Nebraska, my first semester I was enrolled in construction management. One day I was just messing around online looking at what all they offer, and I came across their sports turf science program. I set up a meeting with the advisor for that and talked to her about 30 minutes. I think the last question I asked her was, ‘What jobs do I get after graduating with the degree?’ and she listed off some of her recent graduates working in baseball stadiums or golf, and that kind of sold me.

If there was an outcome where I was able to work at a stadium full time, every day, that was something that I wanted to do. I switched majors that week from construction management to sports turf science. That’s when I got into baseball, Haymarket Park. I worked there as an intern, then worked my way to a seasonal assistant, second assistant, then graduated and moved to Dallas.

Did the architectural design and construction management background prepare you for future jobs and this career?

Yes, especially for the Nashville SC job where I was part of the buildout of the stadium. We just recently opened our training facility. So when I got here, Currey Ingram was already built, which is our Academy facility. But when I was here and started getting brought in on those construction meetings, they’d put blueprints in front of me and start explaining, ‘this is keys’ and stuff like that, I didn’t have to read all that. That and construction processes, it definitely prepared me for this job and building this stadium and field. Then moving on to Antioch where our first team training facility is, it prepared me for the whole design and build process, what to expect, the steps through design/development, construction documents, then buildout.

What is unique about your facilities now?

What makes them unique, but also what makes them tough to manage is right now we have three facilities in three different counties. We have our Academy facility in Brentwood where for the first three and a half years, that was where our first team trained. That was completed in October of 2019,

VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL: Larry Nichols, Director Division of Consumer Protection VDACS

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) is in the process of completing upgrades to the online pesticide system. Recent upgrades include enhancements to the online system which make it more intuitive and user friendly, as well as an expedited process for submitting initial registered technician applications (RT-A form).

The recent upgrades to expedite the approval process for the issuance of the authorization to take the certified applicator exam are for registered technicians only; these upgrades, which are described below, were implemented March 22, 2023, and are designed to allow the prospective applicator to receive the authorization to test the day after their application is successfully submitted.

The agency is currently developing the expedited process for the submission of commercial applicator applications as well as for applications to retest or reinstate expired certificates (i.e., RT-B or CA-B forms); however at the time this article was written (late April), the expedited process for commercial applicators and retesting or reinstating certificates was not yet available.

The expedited process includes the following:

• For online applications, the new expedited process requires that the applicant enter information in all required fields before the application can be submitted for payment processing. Credit card and ACH payments are processed upon submission of the application.

The online system will allow application fees to be paid by check and mailed to the agency. Applications for which the fee is paid by check will be processed after receipt of the check and reconciliation of the payment by the Office of Pesticide Services.

• Once the application has been successfully submitted online, the authorization to take the registered technician exam will be emailed to the applicant using the email address associated with the submission of the application. Under normal circumstances:

• Authorizations to test will be emailed by the next day to applicants who pay the application fee by credit card or ACH; and

• Authorizations to test will be emailed to applicants who pay the application fee by check after receipt of the check and reconciliation of payment by the Office of Pesticide Services.

• Please note that there may be times when the authorization to test emails are not generated as planned. Under these circumstances, Office of Pesticide Services staff will be working with the agency’s IT staff to resolve any problems and issue the authorization to test emails as soon as possible.

Applicants can take the exam once they have received the authorization to test. Applicants who pass their exam will immediately be issued a provisional applicator certificate which lasts for 45 days. During the 45-day period, VDACS will complete a final review of the application and issue the official certificate. It is important that applicators, who have been issued the provisional applicator certificate, monitor their email regularly since VDACS may request clarifying information to complete the review process and issue the official certificate. If VDACS does not receive requested information within the 45 days, the certification will expire, and applicators will not be able to apply pesticides until a new certificate is issued.

Applicants still have the option to submit applications by mail. Paper applications which are submitted to VDACS by mail or delivery service are placed in a queue and processed in the order in which paper applications are received.

VDACS has also established a remote testing option for those who prefer to test at their home or business, rather than testing at a DMV office.